


Follow your heart

by mckvch (RaiseYourVoice)



Series: How to woo your local barista [42]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Advice, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Human, Barista Raphael Santiago, Demisexual Raphael Santiago, Established Relationship, Gen, Homoromantic Raphael Santiago, Just Guadalupe and Raphael talking, M/M, Pansexual Simon Lewis, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2019-01-20 15:42:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12436017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaiseYourVoice/pseuds/mckvch
Summary: “It might be just a question but it’s not a simple one, love, of course it’s difficult,” she replied and her voice had that tone she had always used when he was younger and nervous about something, the one that always managed to calm him down and make him feel more relaxed.“It is, though. With him, anyway,” Raphael sighed, pushing the fingers of his free hand through his loose curls while his other hand was still occupied by the playful furball stretched out in his lap. “I think now I get why Alec was so all over the place.”Guadalupe laughed again and Raphael’s lips quirked into a small smile because it was impossible not to smile at his mama’s cheerful laughter, the warm ring and fond ring of it.





	Follow your heart

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a short one but, hey, at least I managed to get another part done! And maybe this time we're actually closing in on the end of this series.

“I don’t know why this is so difficult. It’s just a question.” Raphael gentle flicked his index finger against the tip of Umbreon’s ear, causing the cat to make a small noise of protest and turn around in his lap, curling both of her front legs around his arm while playfully catching his fingers with her mouth.

He watched the, by now fully grown, animal fondly before his forehead wrinkled into a frown at the sound of laughter coming from his mama. Guadalupe shook her head in amusement and there was a soft clinking sound when she picked up her cup of tea, taking a sip from the steaming beverage and her lips curved into a loving smile against the rim of the mug.

“It might be just a question but it’s not a simple one, love, of course, it’s difficult,” she replied and her voice had that tone she had always used when he was younger and nervous about something, the one that always managed to calm him down and make him feel more relaxed.

“It is, though. With him, anyway,” Raphael sighed, pushing the fingers of his free hand through his loose curls while his other hand was still occupied by the playful furball stretched out in his lap. “I think now I get why Alec was so all over the place.”

Guadalupe laughed again and Raphael’s lips quirked into a small smile because it was impossible not to smile at his mama’s cheerful laughter, the warm ring and fond ring of it.

It was almost a little bit scary how Guadalupe hadn’t even blinked when Raphael had told her about the reason why he had invited her over for coffee—well, _tea_ —but maybe he wasn’t as subtle as he thought. Okay, he wasn’t subtle at all and his mama had always been able to read him like an open book.

“I don’t even know what kind of ring to pick.”

“You have brilliant taste, darling, I know you will pick a pretty one. Besides, do you really think the design will matter much to Simon? Or matter at all? There is nothing for you to worry about.” Guadalupe placed her mug down again and reached over, placing a warm hand on top of Raphael’s and squeezing it gently. She was clearly amused by his obvious nerves but also happy about the fact that he’d come to her for advice.

Sure, Magnus was an option as well but Raphael really didn’t want to have that discussion anytime soon. He knew he would have to face the whole “I told you so” and “took you long enough” sooner or later but he’d rather have it happen later. Much later.

“I know it won’t matter to him and I’m not scared he might say no because that possibility is very slim.”

“Non-existent, actually.”

Raphael rolled his eyes fondly but he knew his mama was right. Simon wouldn’t say no, he knew that.

“Yeah. But I still want it to be _right_ , you know? Even if he wouldn’t care if I just asked it while we were washing the dishes or cleaning the bathroom.” Now it was his turn to laugh because he could imagine asking the big question while one of the was scrubbing the toilet and he supposed that way it would actually be a surprise—a very unromantic one.

“Want to know what I think?” Guadalupe asked and he didn’t even have to nod because she knew the answer already. “I think you shouldn’t plan it. I know most people do and try to do it as perfect and romantic as possible but planning means it’s kind of staged, don’t you think? Not that I mind people putting effort into it and showing their appreciation for their significant other but I genuinely don’t think it would fit the two of you.”

He frowned at that, not quite following where Guadalupe was going with this.

“What I mean by that: just ask him the next time the question is at the tip of your tongue. Don’t hold it back until your brain tells you the moment is perfect for it and let your heart take the lead. In my opinion, the situation doesn’t matter as long as the proposal comes from the heart. It’s so much more beautiful that way, I think.”

“I don’t know...this sounds a little too casual.”

“You want to ask him to spend the rest of his life with you, he already stuck around until now, seeing all the different sides of you—why would it be necessary to put on a show and grand gesture instead of just asking it in the moment? When are the moments you think _I want to marry this boy_ the most? When he dresses up nicely for going out or when you wake up next to him in the morning, with messy hair and a pillow crease on his face? Life isn’t about finding the perfect moment or making anything perfect. It’s about all the little imperfections that are so endearing and make it special.”

Raphael may have gaped a little bit at Guadalupe because, on one hand, it sounded incredibly lazy to not plan anything at all but, on the other hand, it was scarily logical. It was during the most random moment when he thought about wanting to propose to Simon—when the other boy was laughing at his own clumsiness, when he was ranting about something he loved or when he was sleepily cuddling on the couch with their cat after a long day at university.

“Follow your heart, my love, it already safely brought you this far, didn’t it?”

He couldn’t even argue with that and now Raphael felt like he should really follow this advice, even though it might end up with him blurting the question out the moment Simon stepped through the door to their apartment in about an hour.

“I love you, mama.” Raphael smiled and leant over to press a kiss to Guadalupe’s soft cheek, once again feeling incredibly lucky to have such an amazing woman for a mother.

“I love you too, my precious son,” she replied with a tender smile of her own, reaching up to brush her fingers through Raphael’s hair with a loving expression.


End file.
